The National tribune., 1887-12-08
SUNDAY MEDITATION.
Practical Duties Taught By Study or the Inter.
national Sunday-schOol Lesson Appointed for
Dec. Is. st. Matt, 10 : 81 33, H-J2.

SEED.
The lesson covers the parable Of the mus
tard seed, the leaven, the pearl Of great price,
and the hidden treasure. In our brief notes,
we have thought it best to give full cOnsidera-
ton TO the first, since all four involve similar
principles, and justice can be done only to one
in the space allotted.
One should read st. Mark, 4 1922, and st.
Luke, 10: 15 49,
This parable was uttered just after the para
bles Of the Sewer and of the Wheat and Tares,
at the same place, to the same hearers. Time,
October, A. ID. %. Place, Capernaum. Hear
ers, great multitudes" (St Matt, I3: 81
By the Kingdom of Heaven" ". 81 we I'M
derstand the building up of Christ's Church
under the preaching of the Gospel
Christ would have US learn that the progress
OF the Gospel is just rs 10 is with grain OF
mustard seed. 1t is the least of all seeds, but
when you SOW it, it becomes a great tree. To
understand this illustration we must study the
facts about mustard seed. If we think of the
mere little mustard plant which grows way up
here in our northern latitude, we lose the en-
tire force Of the parable. 1t is well for US to
familiarize ourselves with the customs, climate,
etc. Of Palestine. Those who heard the para
BILE took no exception to the smallness of the
seed, nor the largeness of the growth. There
are in oriental lands mustard trees. We're we
there we could stand beneath the shade OF such
tree, or climb into its branches. We could
behold the large number Of herds hocking to
its bOughs and eagerly picking its seed. Then
the truths of this parable would flash across
our minds and impress its great lessons. Per-
haps when uttering the parable, sitting in the
little fshing-boat, Christ might have looked
OF IN the distance and have seen flock OF
birds perching on the limbs Of a mustard tree
to take their meal of seed. Do not lay down
the account thinking it absurd because the
parable does not meet the conditions of our
weak, fragile, puny mustard plant.
Christ said the mustard seed was the least Of
all seeds. Literally this is not true. There are
smaller seeds-e. g., the poppy. Views: 1. 1t
was one of class Of smallest seeds, either one
OF which could be called the smallest. 1t was
classified with the smallest. Doddridge, Bloom
field, DIR. James Strong.) g. 1t was the smallest
then noticed or known but not absolutely the
smallest. (Scott) 3. 1t was the least of all seeds
which in that climate assumed the character
istics of tree, to wit, which had bark branches,
of ligneous or woody nature. (Dr. Adam
Clarke, Sir L. Brown, DIR. ID. ID. Whedon.) 4.
IL was that which was proverbially spoken of
as the least. Campbell, Robinson in Lexicon)
3. 1t was the least in proportion to the size
which it produced. Barnes, Tying. Hackett,
Alexander, DIR. II. ]. Van Dyke.) There were
smaller seeds, but that which grew from them
could not be compared in size with the mus
larger seeds, but they produced mere plants,
while the little mustard seed developed into
largish trees. Alexander says:
This Is not botanical dctum but popular
hypereoie or rather relative expression, meaning
the smallest of domestic garden-seeds in proper
ton TO the plant which il produces"
Not to say the mustard seed was the smallest
seed, we certainly know it was exceedingly
minute. This was so true that proverb or
iginated from it. Like q grain Of mustard
seed became common expression to indicate
the least. This saying was often heard among
those to whom Christ spoke and was under
stood to mean anything very small. The Koran
gives an example: ooh, my son, every matter,
though it be the weight of a grain of mustard
seed" etc, meaning though it be matter Of
exceedingly little moment. Christ evidently
used the words in the popular rather than the
scientific sense.
We are told this grain of mustard seed, upon
being planted, actually grew till it became q
tree. The mustard herb seen by US in this eli
mate Is mere shrub. We cannot think Of q
mustard plant as a great tree. But the same
kind Of product does not grow to the same size
IN all localities. Christees not tell US the seed
became q tree in XSfth America. To thrive
well 1t needs warm climate. In such il at
tains great dimensions. In the Talmud, which
is book containing the laws, traditions, ex-
plantations, etc, of Jewish customs, etc, writ
ten by Rabbi Simeon, an instance is given of a
mustard tree having three extended boughs
One Of these was broken off and used as a COW
ering to the tent of q potter. On this single
branch, 10 is said, there were some five quarts
of seed. One of the Jewish doctors, Rabbi
Calipha, speaks Of having a mustard tree in his
field into which he used TO climb just as anyone
would into fg tree. Birds are very fond Of
the seed Of mustard tree. MaldOnatus tells
US he saw in Spain large numbers feeding on
seed of the boughs of mustard trees. man
travelling in Chilli relates that he rode on Horse
back under a tree of this kind
Prof III. b. Hackett, PIP. l24, 125 of Illus
trations Of Scripture" speaking Of his trip
across the plain Of Aka on way to Carmel,
says:
"Iperceived, ut some distance from the path, what
seemed To be little forest nursery of trees.
turned aside To examine them. On coming nearer,
they proved to be an extensive field OF the musard
plant. IL then la blossom. full grown, in some
cases six. seven and nine feet high with a stem or
trunk an inch or more in thickness. throwing Gus
branches every side. ! was satisfied In part
felt that such plant might well be called "a tree
and, In comparison with the seed producing IT, a
great tree. But still the branches, or stems of the
branches, were not very large or, apparently very
strong. Can the birds said to myself, rest upon
themr At that very instant, as stood and revolv-
ed the though. lol of the fowls of heaven
stopped in Its flight through the air, aihted dow
on one Of the branches. which hardly moved be-
meath the shock. and then began pcrched there
richest music. am aware that some give to the
original word for mustard generic sense. so as
to understand a tree, properly called. But, as
no necessity demands such extension of the
term, IL Is more correct TO adhere to the ordinary
meaning. Besides, the Evangelists include the
mustard plant Of which they speak among herbs
or vegetables and thus indicate that when they
call 1t a tree they make use of popular hyper
bole."
DR.. Hooker measured a mustard tree in the
Jordan Valley and found it 10 feet high.
Christ meant to say the Church would be
very weak at first, but ultimately become pow
erful; limited on the start in boundary, but
destined to become universal embracing at the
beginning ignorant, common, poor people, but
in the future sure TO include the talented aris-
tocratic. wealthy and royal least, greatest
grain. tree. To-day the prophecy Of Malachi
u:lD is fulfilled. The sun does not 20 down
beyond Christian institutions.
The growth of the mustard seed into tree
also symbolizes the development of the Chris
tian life in the individual. The work of grace
begins in great weakness and proceeds to
strength. 1t affects hardly perceptibly on the
start, and proceeds till it rules the whole man.
Matthew Henry says:
"The difference between a grain of mustard seed
and great tree is nothing to that between u young
convert earth and glorified saint in heaven :
How true Christ's words were! Sharon Tur-
ner, the noted antiquarian, who died in 1s47,
prepared the following statistics He included
all nominal Christians;
Century. A6ogt. Century. Aoout
second........... 100000 Eleventh 7OOOoOOC
Third.....-....... 5,OOOO00 Twelfth s0OO0OoO
Fourth - 10 ODO 900 Thirteenth TX Oro ooc